Gibson: WSC acting cautiously on VSEPs

Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) Executive Chairman Adrian Gibson said the corporation is taking a “cautious approach” to voluntary separation packages (VSEPs) for employees, noting that “it is a work in progress”.

Gibson, who appeared on the Guardian Talk Radio 96.9 FM talk show “The Political Review” with host Quincy Parker on Sunday, said, “We have been putting together a VSEP package.

“We are going to address it at a board level. We’re going to address it with Minister [of Works Desmond] Bannister. We had a meeting with him some months ago and the matter was discussed.”

Gibson said the corporation intends to take a “different approach” with its separation packages than that taken by Bahamas Power and Light.

“We’re going to take a more cautious approach,” he said.

“The reality is, Quincy, we have persons who have already come to us asking for packages.”

The chairman added: “We are working on that. That’s a work in progress. It is inevitable. We do believe that that will prove to be some value to streamlining and heightening the efficiency at the corporation.”

Last month, Bahamas Utilities Services and Allied Workers Union (BUSAWU) President Dwayne Woods said his members were ready to “break down the door, including the frame” for the VSEPs from the corporation.

Last July, Gibson said that the corporation could do with a voluntary staff reduction of up to 100 people.

However, Woods has said it takes at least 400 employees to run the organization throughout the country.